CHAPTER 12

Briar knelt in front of Mother Hannah, her eyes closed as she clasped her hands before her, praying silently under her breath. The Chantry of Redcliffe had been full of people when they had arrived, hurrying after being told strange tidings by a young man they had met on the bridge.

Inside, they had met with Bann Teagan, Arl Eamon's younger brother. He had explained the situation, him and Alistair sharing a brief moment of reunion before the situation set in.

Dead things were walking the castle of Redcliffe and terrorizing its villagers during the night. So far they had managed to stand against these creatures, but the odds were truly stacked against them, or had been. The local militia were a group of ragtag men and few soldiers, all suffering from the knowledge that they would likely die tonight.

After making the decision to remain and help the villagers –a decision that was not met with approval all the way around, Morrigan had been openly derisive about it and Sten had questioned why they should- she had sent them all on respective jobs. Morrigan she simply wanted out of the Chantry because Morrigan had the potential to cause way too much trouble inside of one.

She had also sought a moment's peace and had felt a rush of gratitude when Mother Hannah had politely asked everyone to leave her small solar, giving them a modicum of privacy.

After her murmured prayer, Briar looked up into the weary but kind face of the Mother, unable to keep tears from brimming in her eyes. If this had been Mallol, she would have confessed her heart and laid out all her burdens and sorrows, but this was not. This was a woman who had the weight of a village bearing her down and did not need one more burden added to that. "I wish to receive your blessing, Mother." She whispered.

Mother Hannah nodded, her eyebrows drawing together in a slight frown. "Is there something you would like to confide in me, child?" She asked gently.

For a brief moment, she was tempted too, sorely tempted too but Briar managed to shake her head no, blinking back anymore tears before they could spill. "No, Mother."

"Blessed art thou who exists in the Maker's sight. Blessed art thou who seeks His forgiveness. Blesses art thou who seeks his return. Blessed is the Prophetess, His daughter, sacrificed to the holy flame. May the Chant reach the Maker's ears and tell Him of our contrition." When she had finished, Mother Hannah laid a hand on top of the kneeling young woman's head. "These sorrows do not have to be yours alone to carry, child. Remember that."

Briar didn't move, not even after she heard the Mother walk out the open doorway, just remained where she was. Honestly, she was too tired to get up, physically, mentally and spiritually. Her greaves were digging into her flesh but she didn't mind the pain, her eyes opening to stare at the amour. Her father had had it made specifically for her and ever since leaving Cousland castle, it had seen more than its fair share of battle. Where it had once been smooth and brilliant in its cobalt blue color, now it was dented with scratches she couldn't rub away. The brilliant blue was fading, and she smiled humorlessly, wondering what Father would have said if he could see his Pup now.

"Lady Cousland?"

Pushing herself to her feet, rather reluctantly, Briar turned with a smile plastered on her face to Bann Teagan. "Please, call me Briar. I am no longer Lady Cousland." She said politely, feeling a familiar twinge of grief over that fact.

It must have shown because he returned her smile, his infinitely more honest and sympathetic. "Perhaps as a Grey Warden you are no longer able to inherit a title, but a Lady and Cousland you still are."

That had to be one of the nicest things someone had said to her since that fateful night in Highever, and the tears she had managed to stifle for Mother Hannah reemerged and she decided that her monthly must be approaching since she was so emotional today. "Thank you, my lo-"

"No, don't call me that. We are equals, are we not?" Teagan's smile grew awkward. "Besides, with everything going on, relying on old formalities seems a bit stupid."

"It does." She agreed, hesitating when he took a cautious step forward. She held perfectly still as he reached out to wipe away a tear with the pad of his thumb, seeing his frown.

"I realize that our chances of surviving the night seem slim, but surely they are not quite that bad." He murmured, pulling his hand away. "I saw that you hadn't gone out with the others and wished to speak with you."

"Oh?"

"I wished to convey my condolences over the loss of your family. Your mother and father will be missed."

"Thank you, Bann-" She stopped when he shook his head, hesitating. "Teagan, thank you."

Briar listened as Bann Teagan gave the victory speech the following morning, secretly wishing he would shut the hell up so they could go get some rest before heading up to the castle. She knew the villagers needed to hear these words but she did not. She had lived it, fought it and was ready to move on.

"I thank you, dear lady. Truly, the Maker smiled on us when he sent you here in our darkest hour."

It took her a moment to realize that Teagan was addressing her, smiling her brightest smile and took stock of the assembled people. "There is still much more to do, Bann Teagan." She announced, seeing uncertainty flashing across faces. So much for reassuring.

"Surely these people deserve some small celebration, yes? There is time for that yet."

She buried a groan. A celebration? And one she would probably have to attend? Maker's balls. Fortunately, Mother Hannah took over with a prayer of thanks and everyone fell silent, intoning at the proper moments. Even Morrigan bowed her head, though Briar wasn't entirely sure if it was out of respect or because she was sleeping on her feet.

Once it was over and the celebration got underway, she led the others up towards the bluffs, knowing they would find no rest in Redcliffe and rest was something they all needed much more than…

"I'm going to stay." Leliana said, halting and raised her hands up in a supplicating manner. "It is good to celebrate the things we are able and I do not think I can sleep."

"If that is your wish, to mingle with these sheep then be off with you." Morrigan waved her staff dismissively, turning her back on the group and continued on.

"Such a charming woman." Alistair muttered, glancing down at Briar. "Shall we go?"

Briar turned her attention back to Leliana, somehow not surprised to find the sister already heading back down to the town square. There was something… off, about her, and not just the insanity thing either. Eventually, she was going to have to have a talk with the woman but not today. She planned on spending a few hours sleeping and then going to kill whatever else she had to in order to get to the Arl.

It felt odd to be traveling without a retinue.

After making their way through Redcliffe castle and dealing with more of those walking corpses, they were greeted to a very possessed Connor and never before had Briar felt the urge to do a woman harm such as she did then towards the Arlessa. The woman's sheer stupidity had been the cause for everything that had transpired and the only reason Briar didn't harm Isolde was for the simple fact that the dimwitted Orlesian had done it out of love for her son.

They had been presented with limited options. The quickest and most decidedly effective route would have been to kill Connor; he was an abomination now after all. Even Alistair had admitted to it, both the route and the abomination bit. But he was still a little boy and to be honest, Briar wasn't entirely sure if she was seeing an abomination or if he was simply possessed. He had come out of 'it' after a moment, confused and scared, and when she had been the responsibility of deciding his fate, the memory of his frightened eyes as he took in the scene was what had decided it for her.

She had left behind Sten, Morrigan and Leliana while she and Alistair (along with Draven of course) had headed for the Circle of Magi. This was killing two birds with one stone as they also held treaties demanding aid from the Circle in the upcoming Blight.

She figured if things got out of hand at the castle, Sten would do the right thing and had instructed him if necessary, and as a last resort, to kill Connor. She had stressed that this measure was only to be taken if the loss of the boy's life would prevent the loss of many others. Sten had given her one of his searching, inscrutable looks before simply nodding.

There was no way she would ever ask that of Leliana. Princess Stabbity Stab might be keen with blades and a bow, but she also had a moral streak. Morrigan was morally ambivalent and could have gone either way. She figured Sten had been her best bet.

After walking all day, they had finally reached lake Calenhad, where they then had to persuade the obnoxious Templar manning the dock to ferry them across, something he had belligerently refused to do until Briar had figured introducing him with the either the sharp end of the Cousland sword or Draven's teeth was in order. The templar had been much more interested in showing them some courtesy after that.

Briar discovered she hated boats, with a passion. More particularly, she hated being in a boat, in the middle of water. Give her land beneath her boots any day. "How long does this take?" She demanded, gripping the edge of the wooden seat she was perched on, her eyes closed.

"An hour or two." Alistair felt no such unease, lounging as comfortably as he could beside her, smiling when the templar arched an eyebrow at him. "Looks to be hard working, rowing."

"You could always pick up an oar and help."

"And take away your satisfaction at knowing you did a job well? Perish the thought."